In last week’s food section, we gave you 10 amazing Jewish sandwiches from across the country, which in true “top list” fashion sparked some debate over which sandwiches were really the best and which were missing from the list. Luckily, a tidy little poll let readers kvetch constructively by voting for their favorite (with a write-in option). With over 600 votes, favorites were all across the board — and world.

Unsurprisingly, the winner by a landslide (with almost 1/3 of the votes) was the classic Katz’s pastrami. Trailing not terribly far behind Katz’s was the West coast trifecta, Deli Board’s Gold-n-Berg-n-stein (and if you ask us, this one wins the award for best name). The pastrami sandwich at Langer’s was a clear third, and Famous 4th Street Deli’s Bagel with Nova and Cream Cheese, Mile End’s Smoked Meat Sandwich, and Taim’s Sabich garnered enough votes for honorable mentions. As for Shelsky’s Brookyln Transplant, Schnitz NYC’s Bamberg Schnitz, The Bagel’s corned beef sandwich, and Zaidy’s latke reuben — more readers clearly need to try those!

About 100 readers cast their vote for a sandwich that wasn’t on our list. Out of more than 50 additional sandwiches, popular write-ins were the pastrami sandwich at the 2nd Avenue Deli, Brent’s corned beef sandwich in Los Angeles, and a variety of Zingerman’s sandwiches, in Ann Arbor. Though Montreal’s Schwartz’s smoked meat sandwich wasn’t in the running for our list, as it’s not in the U.S., it received much recognition in the write-ins. And even further away, L’as du Falafel in Paris has won the heart of one voter.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

With our 10, and the more than 50 write-ins, the votes don’t lie: a yummy Jewish sandwich, it seems, isn’t difficult to find.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount